


Callen's Shadow

by CALLEN37



Category: NCIS: Los Angeles
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-06
Updated: 2013-01-08
Packaged: 2017-11-23 22:32:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/627243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CALLEN37/pseuds/CALLEN37
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Growing up Callen had someone watching over him, but just how did he and Hetty meet?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N This will be two maybe three chapters in length and is dedicated to the lovely Ilse Futbolista and LasiaMsinRed who's twitter conversation started this story.
> 
> Disclaimer, I don't own the rights to NCIS:LA, (But i'm planning a raid...wanna come!) ;)

Los Angeles – 1975

The small blonde haired boy ran down the corridor with his friend skidding to a halt at the main entrance where a small woman stood.

Eyes wide he stared at her.

The social worker bent down and beckoned him over.

"He's settling in but he still isn't talking, so far we have only been able to communicate by gestures. My boss said you said you could help with identifying him?" The woman asked.

Hetty bent down and looked the boy in the eye, "Bună ziua Callen, ai făcut un prieten?"

Callen's eyes brightened for the first time in a month someone he could understand; a huge smile brightened his face.

"Da. Nu mă cunosti? esti familia mea?" he asked hopefully.

She shook her head sadly, "No, Mr. Callen. I'm not."

He looked sad he knew what that head shake meant and the tone of her voice even if he did not understand her words.

She put a comforting arm on his shoulder and turned to the social worker.

"I would suggest you have someone come in and teach the boy English, however for now if anyone speaks Romani he would be able to communicate through them, but I wouldn't encourage him to use it. It would be safer for him if he forgot he could even speak the language."

The social worker ushered Hetty into her office and they sat down.

"Coffee?" She asked.

Hetty smiled and shook her head, "Thank you, No."

"All the information we have on the boy is his surname and a letter for his first name, do you have any other information for me, and it would be good for him if he knew his roots anything about his family." She asked Hetty hopefully.

"Mr. Callen's life will be safer if he does not know. There are things in his past, traumatic things that would put his life in danger if he were to know about them. This is all the information about him I am allowed to release," She handed the social worker an envelope.

"But without more information, we will not be able to reunite him with any family or place him for adoption." The social worker argued.

She knew this small woman we from the government and she exuded power, but her overwhelming desire for the well being of the child in her care overrode any feelings of danger she was getting from the woman.

"For his own safety he must not be placed for adoption, Foster care will be satisfactory. However he must be moved it would not be safe if he stayed anywhere longer than a four month period he must not be placed in any orphanages and needs to move out of this one and into his first foster home as soon as possible."

The social worker looked shocked, "That's unacceptable, G, won't have any stability in his life!" she sounded shocked.

Hetty looked sad, "I know, his mother was a good friend, I know she would hate this for her son, but it is necessary."

"Are you family?" The social worker asked confused.

Hetty smiled, "That's what Mr. Callen asked me, No I'm not, I worked with his mother from time to time, but I'm afraid I was too late to help her and she passed away." She looked sad and the social worker was shocked by the level of sadness in her voice.

"Do you know his first name?" She asked.

"No, Clara only called him her baby." Hetty said a moment of wistfulness crossing her face.

"Can you not take him in?" The social worker was feeling desperate, whoever this government woman was she obviously, cared for the boy and more than anything she wanted Callen to be settled and have a childhood.

"I'm sorry, my job prohibits it. However if I may ask that you would keep me informed of each move he makes, it will help if we know where he is."

"I can do that," The social worker said sadly and took Hetty's card, "Thank you Ms. Lange."

Hetty shook the social workers hand "Thank you, I will expect your call about his first move by tomorrow." She said.

The social worker stood opened mouthed in shock as she watched the woman leave. In the corner of the hallway, she spotted Callen playing with a car in the corner. She smiled at him and went to her office to make the calls that would disrupt the poor boy's life. It was situations like this that made her hate her job.

* * *

1985

Callen sat in an office staring intently at his sneakers, which were held together by duct tape, and was being guarded by a uniformed officer. He was dirty, tired, hungry, and dejected.

On the other side of the glass, Hetty stood with the detective. "Why is he being held?" She asked nonchalantly as she could, even though her heart was breaking for the boy she had surreptitiously watched growing up all these years.

"Serial runaway from foster homes, been gone six months this time before we found him, and we only found him because he was injured." Detective Jack Dixon told the CIA Agent.

"How?" The Agent asked.

"Beaten up fighting for food or drink or drugs, on the streets who knows." He shrugged, "Another few years he'll be out of that system and into the prison one most likely."

Hetty reached in her bag and pulled out a flyer for the U.S Marine Corps. "Give him this; tell him it's time he had something permanent in his life and a goal to look forward to."

She handed the Detective the flyer and watched as he gave it to the young man and passed on the message.

For once, she stayed and watched as he read the flyer and a small look of hope crossed his face, which he quickly hid as he heard his current social worker, and foster father come in yelling obscenities at him. He quickly hid the flyer up his shirt and stuffed his hands in his pockets, eyes downcast and followed the pair of them out of the building.

* * *

1989 – Parris Island.

Hetty stood with the crowd of well-wishers and parents she had taken a seat at the back having called the commandant to allow her a base pass to attend this groups graduation.

Quietly smiling, sitting next to a pregnant woman who was crying with happiness at her husbands graduation.

"Which one is your son?" the woman asked Hetty.

Hetty without bothering to correct her pointed to Callen "That one." She said proudly.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Callen stood in his C.O's office at parade rest.

He had just completed his mandatory tour and was considering where to go next as far as he was concerned he had been here too long. The stability had been nice but he felt the need to move on again.

"Callen, I need you for a mission, it is volunteer only, but somehow I think you suited for it, it's a joint Marine/CIA mission."

"Sir, Yes. Sir!" Callen answered by rote.

"Sit down Callen." His C.O. motioned him to the chair in his office and Callen sat down.

"This mission is in Russia, well Serbia to be exact, according to your files you would be an ideal candidate for this job."

"Because I'm expendable sir?" Callen asked matter of factly.

His C.O. cringed inside, four years and still Callen could not quite shake that he was not as good as everyone else was because he had no family.

"No Callen, because you're the only guy in this unit that speaks fluent Russian, we only have one other marine on base right now that's available and he'll be going with you, a Gunnery Sergeant Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He should be here in a few moments if you are willing to take on this assignment"

Callen nodded, "How long is this mission planned to take sir?" he asked.

"At least three months."

The door knocked and a brown haired, blue-eyed marine entered. "Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs Sir!" he saluted.

"Stand easy Marine." The C.O said.

"Sir," Gibbs said and took his seat,

"Gibbs, this is Callen. You two will be working together."

"You just have one name too?" Callen asked he was younger than the other man was and had never met anyone else who only had a surname like him.

"Nope three, just only use the one." Gibbs smirked at the younger man. Who, in his opinion was a little bit young to be going on this mission, but he had been recommended and let's face it Gibbs had orders to follow.

"So how's your Russian?" Gibbs asked.

"Это не плохо, как твой?" Callen said.

Gibbs smiled, "Достаточно того, что я могу иметь разговор и не говори глупостей."

Callen laughed as the C.O. looked on confused, "так что вы единственный разумный на русском или вы разумный и на других языках?"

Gibbs laughed which caused the C.O. to do a double take as Gibbs was known as a hard ass and never laughed.

"Nope I'm sensible in English too."

"Good to know." Callen replied.

Both men headed off on the mission, at the airport the C.O. gave them their last minute details and watched as they boarded the transport plane.

Hetty came out from another room, "Don't you think he is a little young to go on this mission?" He asked the diminutive operative.

"Mr. Callen is more than prepared for this mission. I have great faith in him and hopefully he will make a good friend in Gibbs, I think they will be good for each other." She mused.

* * *

She followed every report that came out of the mission.

Standing in the CIA threat assessment center she stood at the back following the end of Callen and Gibbs' mission as they took down the Arms dealers that were selling weapons to the American military.

Her heart was in her throat as the gunfire sounded and Gibbs' voice came over the radio, "Alpha team ready for extraction, one wounded. Bravo teams on site for clean up."

She watched as the pick up helicopter focused on the two men, Gibbs was crouched over Callen protecting him from the downdraft as the helicopter landed. "How is he?" She asked her voice calm but her heart in her throat.

"Unconscious, a lot of blood loss and a through and through bullet wound to the side, he should be fine." The airman told her.

She let out a breath which her director caught, "Hetty?" he asked concerned at the uncharacteristic behavior of his Agent.

"Sam, I think it's time we asked Mr. Callen to move to the CIA?" she suggested. "He would make a good asset."

Sam picked up the file Hetty held in her hand and looked at it. "He's Clara's kid?" he asked shocked. "I thought they were all dead?"

The older man sat down in shock as he looked over the file.

"I need him close after this Sam, just to see if he finds his feet, I think he may have the same talents as his grandfather and his parents." Hetty said.

Sam nodded agreeing with her. "Very well Henrietta, you bring him in, if he recognizes you, then we will have to rethink what to do with him. How much of his past do you think he knows?"

"Nothing, All he knows is his surname and the first letter of his name we redacted everything else for his safety."

"Very well pick him up and give him the standard offer." Sam handed the file back to Hetty and watched as she left the office. This was turning out to be a day full of surprises.

* * *

Two weeks later Hetty sat in the company black sedan on the tarmac at an 'undisclosed' air force base waiting for the black ops flight carrying Gibbs and Callen to arrive.

She sat in the car and looked over to the only other car on the tarmac a brown truck containing a woman with red hair and a bright-eyed child who was laughing with her mother. The child bounced up and down in the car pointing excitedly as the plane they were waiting for came into land.

They waited separately at the plane taxied to a stop and two men wearily disembarked from the rear of the plane.

The two men shared a one armed hug and Gibbs walked over to hold his wife and child. He nodded a goodbye to Callen who halfheartedly smiled back watching as the happy family left. Then he stood on the tarmac as personnel worked on the plane.

He shrugged his shoulders, heaved up his bag, and started walking towards the exit looking to Hetty's mind as lost as he did when he was five and she had told him she was not family.

"Mr. Callen!" She called stepping out of the car.

He turned and looked at her suspiciously, she was glad of that it proved he did not remember her, although a small part had hoped he would.

He slowly walked towards her, "OK I'm too old for a social worker and you're too short for a cop…so who are you and what do you want?" He asked.

"I've been asked to offer you a job with the Company." She said.

"What company?" Callen asked confused.

Hetty gestured for him to get into the car but Callen hung back. Hetty suppressed a grin; suspicion was a good trait for him to have it would keep him alive.

"My name is Henrietta Lange and I work for the CIA, my job is to find viable candidates to make good agents and you Mr. Callen have so to speak 'pinged my radar'."

Callen nodded, not breaking eye contact with the woman, he entered the car.

* * *

They arrived at the CIA offices and he was taken to an intake center. In a year, he was a fully-fledged agent and often he wondered about the strange woman who had picked him up from the airport that day. He had not seen her since.

He had, as his Director Sam had predicted, turned out to have an excellent penchant for undercover work managing to completely become another person with ease. The only difficulty they had was finding him partners. He never stayed in the same place for more than a week moving from motel to hotel to bedsit. He only owned two sets of clothes and his partners would all end up complaining about his insomnia. He would forget they were sleeping and sometimes he would call them in the middle of the night and he would cat nap at his desk during the day.

After two years and one dirty partner later, Callen was sitting at his desk feeling betrayed and stifling the urge to change jobs and he was getting antsy.

He flicked through the mail shots for the day did his paperwork and leaned back in his chair. His bag packed next to him ready for his next move. He was writing his resignation letter as his phone rang.

"Callen," He said.

"Agent Callen, Director Simmons DEA, I've been passed your name as someone who might be interested in moving your considerable talents to our organization."

"I'm listening," Callen said guardedly.

Inside the DEA office, Director Simmons replaced the receiver on the phone and looked up at the woman sitting across his desk.

"Well, Ms Lange, it looks like I may have a new agent, Thank you, his resume is outstanding and it was fortuitous that you knew he was planning on leaving the CIA."

"Just keep him safe Robert, that's all I ask." Hetty said

"I think with you looking out for him, he should be fine." The director smiled.

 


	3. Chapter 3

2006

Settling in at the DEA had been a breeze for Callen, his current boss had been all right about him being a floater for different teams and letting him do undercover work. He had been here three years he had turned down the various offers he had been given for a partner and had just stormed out of the office as Robert Simmons sighed and picked up the phone.

"I don't know how much longer we can keep him." He said, "Callen is an excellent Agent our closure rate is excellent, but having him refuse, yet again to work with a partner…I'm sorry Hetty but I think it may be time for him to move."

"Thank you for keeping me informed, I may have a vacancy that will suit our Mr. Callen." Hetty said and put the phone down.

* * *

Callen walked into a diner on Venice beach and sat in a back booth and ordered coffee.

He was surprised when the server brought his coffee and a pot of tea plus a full breakfast.

"Didn't order tea or the food." He said grumpily clasping the coffee mug. He jumped slightly as the small woman from the airport slid into the booth.

"I ordered the tea Mr. Callen and you don't eat properly, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Going somewhere?" She asked looking pointedly at his bedroll and bag.

"Just between apartments, I'm not coming back to the CIA." He said stabbing at a stack of pancakes with his fork.

"That's good; I don't work for them anymore." Hetty smiled, "I am however recruiting for a new position within NCIS."

Callen looked at her; He had quit his job yesterday. Did the woman know that and if so how?

"And you want me?" He asked keeping his opinions guarded.

"It would be working undercover. It will be under the auspices of 'special projects' things that fall outside of the main NCIS remit."

"I don't wanna live in Washington, it's too cold." Callen grumbled and Hetty laughed.

"Just for you then we will base it here in Los Angeles." She told him.

He knew she was joking and he smiled, he had seen her about over the years and her reputation was fierce but whenever they had crossed paths, she had always been somewhat motherly towards him. He figured she had done her homework on him, especially since she wanted to recruit him and for some reason he never seemed to mind.

"You running this show?" Callen asked.

"Heavens No! Mr. Callen, the department will be run by a Lara Macy." She told him.

"Great, I've heard of her she had some dealings with Gibbs, and ex-marine military police." He told her.

"Come and meet her see what you think, There are even a few hotels with vacancies nearby" Hetty offered.

"OK" Callen shrugged non-committally. He knew last time he had gone somewhere with her it had worked out pretty well as they walked out of the diner and got into her car he turned to her. "So still not a cop then?"

She laughed and shooed him into the car.

* * *

They pulled up outside a warehouse and she rang a bell and an elevator was lowered.

"This is it?" He asked the building looked like it was on the verge of collapse. Except for the camera on the outside of the building.

Callen helped close the elevator shutters as Hetty pressed a button.

The elevator opened on a suite of offices and Lara Macy leant against a wall and straightened up as the car came into view.

"Hetty." She said.

"Ms. Macy, this is Mr. Callen."

"Just Callen." He said extending a hand to her.

She raised an eyebrow but said nothing, "Callen, Hetty says you are thinking of joining our little band." She smiled.

"How many people do you have working for you?" Callen asked.

"A small support staff a psychologist and two agents, three if you join." Lara said and offered him a coffee and Hetty a pot of tea.

"Thanks," Callen said as he took the coffee. "How do you know how I take my coffee?" He asked.

"Gibbs." She replied, "And he says take the job. It's about time you settled down and also to call home."

Callen smirked over the years Gibbs had become a surrogate father to him.

He picked up his phone and sent a text.

Lara looked at him. "You should know your texts in this building will be read."

Callen smirked as Lara's phone rang.

"Macy?" She said. "Yes Eric I know a text was sent from an unregistered phone in the building…It's fine. What did it say?" She asked hoping to impress Callen but was confused by Eric's answer.

"I'm sorry?" She turned to Callen there must be a mistake in your file. I was under the impression you had no family.

Callen's defenses slammed up, "I don't?" Then he figured it out and smirked, "You read my text?"

"Yes?"

Callen showed Hetty the text; it read 'Thanks Dad on it! G.'

"So you are taking the job?" Lara asked.

"Gibbs trusts you that's good enough for me." Callen said.

* * *

2009

Gibbs and Callen sat on a bench looking out at the Pacific Ocean; Callen had received a call from Gibbs the day before about the case Gibbs' team was working on and Gibbs had given the younger man the heads up that he was coming out to work on a case with his team.

"So how ya been?" Gibbs asked looking at the younger man, "Still moving around."

Callen smiled "You know me…a rolling stone."

"Macy's been looking for you." Gibbs told him.

"I'll be there, but I like to keep her on her toes." Callen said.

"Still got your shadow?" Gibbs asked.

A slight frown crossed his face, "Not so much as I've gotten older, although every once in a while I think someone's keeping tabs on me."

Gibbs said nothing he just sat there watching the man he had come to think of as a son. "I tried looking for you but got shut down. It is strange but then what past of your life isn't."

Callen nodded in agreement.

After a few moments watching the scenery they resumed their conversation and Callen and Gibbs parted ways for their respective parts in the operation.

* * *

Three days later.

Callen was lying in a hospital bed having been shot five times in a drive by shooting.

Hetty stormed into Lara Macy's office.

"You're done here." She said with a quiet deadly voice.

"I'm not responsible for this." Macy said defending herself.

"Callen told you he thought he was being followed and you didn't tell him to move or check his theory."

"Why would I?" Macy asked.

"Ms. Macy I have spent more time than I care to admit making sure Mr. Callen grows up safe. You put years of work in jeopardy." Macy was concerned she had known Hetty for years and had never seen her so angry.

"Hetty, Callen will live." She said quietly.

"Yes he will." She agreed. "But you are done here, you are being reassigned and I am taking over the running of the OSP." She handed Macy her transfer papers.

Macy looked sad, "I never wanted this."

"I know," Hetty said "But it's my job to keep Callen safe, to keep the team safe now." She corrected herself.

Macy cleared out her desk and was gone by the end of the day, by which time Hetty had called Director Vance and arranged for the whole department to be moved.

It was late and she was tired but she walked into the hospital room and sat watching as Callen slept.

She walked over to the bed and stoked his head. "Sleep little one, your mother would be proud of you."

Planting a small kiss on his forehead, she left.

She would see him soon enough she knew he would be back to work soon, and maybe it was time he put down some roots.

In the morning, she would see about finding him somewhere permanent for him to live. He would get better and now she could be nearby to fulfill her promise to Clara and one day when it was safe she would be able to give him the file with everything she had been able to find out for him on his family and who he was.

 


End file.
